Maes Howe: A Twofold Treasure Maes Howe, a chambered tomb located in Scotland’s Orkney Islands, is older than the pyramids. Built from enormous stones, the tomb has one long, narrow entrance with a ceiling so low that visitors must hunch over as they pass through it. The entrance faces toward the winter sun’s location at sunset around the shortest day of the year. Ancient rituals were performed there. Long after it was abandoned by its builders, Vikings broke into Maes Howe and left runes carved in its walls. The collection of runes—Viking graffiti—shares sentiments familiar in any time: “Ingigerth is the most beautiful of women”; “Haermund Hardaxe carved these runes.” What looks from the outside to be simply a round, grassy hill on a small, wind-swept island represents an amazing historical find for two different eras.

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